Business Essentials Package

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Our most popular package is FSB Business Essentials which includes a whole range of benefits and products designed to make your business fly

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A suite of legal benefits including a dedicated helpline, bundled insurance products and a range of online information to keep your business safe. Plus a whole range of negotiated benefits to help save you money and win business.

Chris Green's Story

'Within a few weeks of joining we'd taken advantage of FSB’s Online Legal Documents. We started a graduate programme and access to these documents gave us an understanding of the legal side, and has helped us to create a number of processes and procedures.'

Marc Wileman's Story

'When we first took on a member of staff, we used the online legal document template library. FSB does more important stuff than you think it does, there are lots of member benefits, probably more than we actually use.'

How much does FSB membership cost?

We offer three packages to suit your business needs. Joining FSB Connect is free, our Business Essentials package starts at £172.50 in the first year and our specialist Business Creation package has an introductory price of £99 in the first year.

FSB warning as more than half of small firms without flood plan

Reference number: PR 2014 43

FSB Press Release

Strict Embargo: 00:01 Tuesday 23 December 2014

FSB warning as more than half of small firms without flood plan

New research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has found that three out of five (59%) of the small business they questioned did not have a plan in place to deal with extreme weather conditions such as floods and snow storms.

This news comes despite the news that two thirds (66%) of small businesses have been negatively impacted by flooding, drought or snow over the last three years.

Mike Cherry, National Policy Chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses, said:

"Last year was the wettest winter on record and 3200 commercial properties were flooded in the UK. With such extreme weather events on the increase small business need all the help they can get to make sure they can stay open whatever the weather.

"We remain concerned that small businesses will not be included in the Government''s Flood Re agreement, designed to limit insurance costs for those at most risk of flooding. Firms need to be reassured that affordable flood insurance will be available in the future. Currently three in 10 (29%) do not have the right cover in place.

"The Environment Agency has produced advice for businesses on how to make a flood plan, and we want to make sure businesses are getting all the information, finance and support they need to deal with extreme weather."

Damage caused by last year''s floods cost firms in affected areas an average of £1,531. By protecting against such disruption, small firms can continue operating and avoid financial difficulties.

Of those businesses affected by extreme weather, the biggest problems reported, were disruption to staff and customers (46%) and disruption to suppliers, utilities and transport arrangements (32%).

With the potential for further bad weather as we enter 2015, the FSB is calling for more businesses to put a extreme weather plan in place. Examples of extreme weather plans and comprehensive guide to putting one in place can be found from the Environment Agency website.

Mike Cherry concluded: "Small businesses need to get better prepared for extreme weather. However, we know that despite wind, water or fire, many small businesses do manage to stay open and continue to serve their customers. When disasters hit we would encourage people to continue to support their local businesses, many of which stay open whatever the weather."

Key Findings

66% of small businesses were impacted by flooding, drought or snow in the past three years.

59% of small businesses have no resilience plans to combat extreme weather.

29% of businesses do not have insurance for business interruption (loss of income, costs incurred) or damage caused to property by flooding.

ENDS

Notes to editor

The FSB is the UK''s leading business organisation with around 200,000 members. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the UK''s Real-Life Entrepreneurs who run their own business. More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk and follow on twitter @fsb_policy

Previous work by Adaptation Sub Committee and others has highlighted a lack of understanding about the resilience of the small business community to extreme weather. Ahead of the Government''s 2017 Climate Impacts Assessment, the FSB has carried out research to help answer some of these resilience questions. The Severe Weather survey of FSB members was carried out by Verve and received 1,199 responses. To find out more visit www.fsb.org.uk/survey-panel.

Flood Re is being taken forward to help households at the highest risk of flooding with the cost of the part of their home insurance which relates to flood risk. Further information can be found here: http://bit.ly/1GTFW4S

The Environment Agency Climate Ready team guidance on how to make a flood plan is available here: http://bit.ly/1hoHRGW